More than 100 people in Kalungu-Bunga, some of them having land titles, have encroached into one of Kampalaâ€™s most vital wetlands.

Charles Wendo writes that the Kansanga wetland that separates Kansanga from Bunga, is the last place that filters filthy flood water from at least six city suburbs before it flows into Lake Victoria, close to the Ggaba Waterworks that supplies Kampala City with drinking water.

The encroachers are aggressively clearing, draining, cultivating and building on the wetland that receives and cleans floods from Kibuli, Nsambya, Ndeba, Muyenga, Kansanga and Bunga.

Investigations by The New Vision show that average size plots in the wetland cost sh7m, about half the price of plots in upland parts of Bunga.

Some of the people interviewed said Mr. Stanley Stokes, a member of the Stokes family who originally owned a chunk of land at Bunga-Kalungu, sold plots in the wetland.

The New Vision could not get a comment from Mr. Stokes, who was said to have travelled overseas. His son said, â€œWe donâ€™t sell the swamp. We only sell gazetted plots. But wait for my father to come back.â€

However, most gazetted plots are in the wetland. One of the people who acquired plots in the wetland, Mr. Andrew Mutebi, had a land title and a building plan approved by Kampala City Council. His construction workers had a copy at the site.

However, the National Wetlands Inspection Division has since ordered him and other encroachers to stop further developments there.

Wetlands officials said they would not tolerate encroachment because this was a vital city wetland. The wetlands monitoring officer, Mr. Francis Ogwal, said whoever acquired a plot in the wetland would not be allowed to build.

Jonathan Tibisasa, the commissioner for land registry, said he would not accept blame for titles for plots on wetlands.

He said his job was to sign titles for plots certified by local boards or the Uganda Land Commission who are responsible for inspecting the land.

â€œThe documents I receive do not show a wetland. I donâ€™t know whether it is a wetland or not,â€ he said.

But Ogwal said the titles donâ€™t matter. With or without titles, destruction of the vital wetland would not be allowed.

The 1995 National Environment Statute says it is against the law to clear, drain or erect buildings in a wetland without clearance from environmental authorities.

Ogwal blamed landlords who took advantage of the ignorance of land buyers. He advised land buyers to contact the Wetlands Inspection Division.

â€œThose who have checked with us have not ended up in problems,â€ he said.

The role of a Father in raising a family

Our families become the first spheres of influence and our parents are usually the first influencers.

The Kayanjas. (Courtesy Photo)

Tags: